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The new Assembly Implications for Housing and the Third Sector Daran Hill. Assembly Election results 2011. Goodbye to…. 21-23 new faces out of 60. The big challenges since May…. Volume of new members need to settle down Labour – change and inexperience (5 non-gov “old” members)
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The new AssemblyImplications for Housing and the Third SectorDaran Hill
The big challenges since May… • Volume of new members need to settle down • Labour – change and inexperience (5 non-gov “old” members) • Plaid’s predicament
The big challenges since May… • Lib Dem 2 • Conservative distractions
“The empty disco in the daytime” • Assembly slow setting things up • Easy to characterise as a Government problem – actually a problem for all 4 parties • Why no Committees for so long? • Lib Dem 2 • Standing Orders • At last due to be constituted and meet soon • How will legislation be dealt with?
The Welsh Government • “I will seek to form a Government later this week, consisting solely of Labour Ministers” – Carwyn Jones AM • “The old style of politics opposition for opposition sake, sits uncomfortably in our modern Welsh democracy” • “Over the coming weeks and months, I will have ongoing discussions with the other parties about what shape this role will take, but some time and space must be afforded to the opposition parties for them to consider what this election has meant for them, what the electorate has said to them, and how they wish to interpret that message”
Key themes of the coming year • Making the books balance – the two narratives • The relationship between Wales and Westminster – tensions in joint working • Public service reform • What does this really mean? • Delivery Unit • Implementation not more policy • Rolling out successful policies across boundaries
Huw Lewis AM, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage • Background and interest in housing • Wrote Child Poverty action plan • Reviewed Communities First • Relates all policy to social justice • Unafraid of innovation in service delivery • Not known for snap decisions and tends to consult with stakeholders • Strong interest in built environment as a determinant of health and social cohesion
Conservative spokespeople • Mark Isherwood AM • Communities & Housing • William Graham AM • Local Government
Plaid Cymru spokespeople • Leanne Wood AM • Housing and Regeneration • Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM • Local Government & Communities
Lib Dem spokespeople • Hmmm….?
Housing priorities 1 • Welsh Labour remains committed to a strong mix of social and private housing and focusing on those in greatest housing need • Securing a further £1.2 billion to deliver the Welsh Housing Quality Standard for all council and housing association tenants across Wales • Using this massive investment not only to improve housing stock but also maximise its impact on local and community economic development through imaginative procurement to promote skills development and employability • Promote Mutual Ownership of housing
Housing priorities 2 • Supporting the development of interest-free Property Appreciation Loans to allow low income homeowners to borrow to improve their properties • Working with councils and landlords to improve housing standards and tenants rights in the Private Rented Sector • Support Tenant Participation services • Introduce a new Empty Properties initiative in partnership with local authorities to target the thousands of homes in Wales that have been empty for more than 6 months
Housing Priorities 3 • Support local authorities who wish to build new homes for rent and encourage innovation through Community Land Trusts and other new ways of providing land and funding for housing • Work with stakeholders to ensure that Local Development Plans and planning policy at a local level helps address the shortfall in homes • Ensure that housing investment delivers a minimum of 2,000 additional jobs and training through the i2i Can Do Toolkit • Invest a further £50 million in the ARBED programme • Introduce a new Flexible Tenure initiative that will allow people to move between renting, home ownership and shared ownership as their life circumstances change
Homelessness Priorities • Build on our ten-year Homelessness Plan and continue to invest in vunerable people - whether they are young peope leaving care, older people who are becoming frail, or people who are experiencing mental ill health - to avert homelessness, to have and keep in their homes and build the kind of life we all want for ourselves, friends and families • Take forward a range of projects to tackle homelessness across Wales, including local Bond Boards, and we will seek to ensure that best practice is spread across Wales. • Improve services and opportunities for groups within the community who experience discrimination/require particular attention
Challenges for you • Lobbying in a non-majority government scenario • Tone • Danger • How can you help the Welsh Government deliver on its pledges?